Method and system for dynamic on-demand cross-channel bandwidth provisioning

1. A method for dynamic, on-demand, cross-channel bandwidth provisioning in a wireless communication system, comprising:

determining, by a scheduler, bandwidth resources that are available in the wireless communication system, wherein the available bandwidth resources comprise a plurality of scattered spectrum pieces;

defining one or more logical channels that encompass the scattered spectrum pieces;

in response to determining that spectrum pieces encompassed by a single logical channel do not meet traffic need, aggregating multiple logical channels; and

provisioning a user or a service using spectrum pieces located within the aggregated multiple logical channels, thereby facilitating on-demand, cross-channel bandwidth provisioning.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining an update to the available bandwidth resources; and

redefining one or more logical channels based on the update to the available bandwidth resources.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one scattered spectrum piece has a bandwidth that is smaller than 1.4 MHz.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a bandwidth of the logical channels is in compliance with a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standard.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein aggregating the multiple logical channels involves performing LTE carrier aggregation.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the one or more logical channels involves:

identifying a scattered spectrum piece whose bandwidth is greater than a predetermined value; and

defining a logical channel that is centered at the identified scattered spectrum piece.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to determining that spectrum pieces encompassed by a single logical channel meet traffic need, disaggregating previously aggregated multiple logical channels.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computing device cause the computing device to perform a method for dynamic, on-demand, cross-channel bandwidth provisioning in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

determining, by a scheduler, bandwidth resources that are available in the wireless communication system, wherein the available bandwidth resources comprise a plurality of scattered spectrum pieces;

defining one or more logical channels that encompass the scattered spectrum pieces;

in response to determining that spectrum pieces encompassed by a single logical channel do not meet traffic need, aggregating multiple logical channels; and

provisioning a user or a service using spectrum pieces located within the aggregated multiple logical channels, thereby facilitating on-demand, cross-channel bandwidth provisioning.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining an update to the available bandwidth resources; and

redefining one or more logical channels based on the update to the available bandwidth resources.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein at least one scattered spectrum piece has a bandwidth that is smaller than 1.4 MHz.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein a bandwidth of the logical channels is in compliance with a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standard.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein aggregating the multiple logical channels involves performing LTE carrier aggregation.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein defining the one or more logical channels involves:

identifying a scattered spectrum piece whose bandwidth is greater than a predetermined value; and

defining a logical channel that is centered at the identified scattered spectrum piece.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that spectrum pieces encompassed by a single logical channel meet traffic need, disaggregating previously aggregated multiple logical channels.

15. A scheduler for dynamic, on-demand, cross-channel bandwidth provisioning in a wireless communication system, the scheduler comprising:

a processor;

a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

determining bandwidth resources that are available in the wireless communication system, wherein the available bandwidth resources comprise a plurality of scattered spectrum pieces;

defining one or more logical channels that encompass the scattered spectrum pieces;

aggregating multiple logical channels in response to determining that spectrum pieces encompassed by a single logical channel do not meet traffic need; and

provisioning a user or a service using spectrum pieces located within the aggregated multiple logical channels, thereby facilitating on-demand, cross-channel bandwidth provisioning.

16. The scheduler of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:

obtaining an update to the available bandwidth resources; and

redefining one or more logical channels based on the update to the available bandwidth resources.

17. The scheduler of claim 15 , wherein at least one scattered spectrum piece has a bandwidth that is smaller than 1.4 MHz.

18. The scheduler of claim 15 , wherein a bandwidth of the logical channels is in compliance with a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) standard.

19. The scheduler of claim 18 , wherein aggregating the multiple logical channels involves performing LTE carrier aggregation.

20. The scheduler of claim 15 , wherein defining the one or more logical channels involves:

identifying a scattered spectrum piece whose bandwidth is greater than a predetermined value; and

defining a logical channel that is centered at the identified scattered spectrum piece.

21. The scheduler of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:

in response to determining that spectrum pieces encompassed by a single logical channel meet traffic need, desegregating previously aggregated multiple logical channels.